Dunlop Custom Badass vs Dunlop MXR Distortion III, model M115
The Dunlop Custom Badass and the Dunlop MXR Distortion III, model M115 are both pedals sharing high gain, transparent. The Dunlop Custom Badass leans saturated and aggressive. The Dunlop MXR Distortion III, model M115 leans tight.
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Blended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.47% — somewhat different
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Genres both listings are associated with.- Blues
- Rock
- Classic Rock
- Metal
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Derived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.- high gain
- transparent
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$169.99via Reverb
The Dunlop Custom Badass is a high-gain distortion pedal from the Jim Dunlop and MXR family, positioned as an aggressively saturated drive in the Badass product line. The Custom Badass delivers compressed, full-bodied distortion with a wide gain range suitable for hard rock and metal rhythm playing, with a character that prioritizes power and saturation over transparent articulation. It is designed for players who need a dependable, hard-working distortion at the heavy end of the gain spectrum, and it draws on MXR component standards and build quality associated with the broader Dunlop catalog.
The MXR Distortion III, model M115, is a distortion pedal from MXR by Jim Dunlop that delivers a moderate-gain drive tone reviewed as sounding closer to overdrive than high-gain distortion in character. The M115 covers classic overdrive through medium distortion and works well as an all-purpose moderate-gain drive into a tube amplifier. It features Output, Tone, and Distortion knobs on a straightforward control layout. Reviews from Sweetwater, Audiofanzine, and Guitar Pick Reviews note its excellent tone quality for blues lead lines and all-around rhythm guitar overdrive, while also noting it loses low-frequency content when engaged, making it less ideal for bass applications.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Hard Rock
- saturated
- aggressive
- full
- tight